A lot of the continuing violence in the far South is the work of insurgent groups opposed to the peace talks between the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and other separatist groups and Thai government representatives, National Security Council (NSC) chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said on Tuesday.
Lt-Gen Paradorn was responding to reporters' questions about the unabated violence in the three southernmost border provinces.
The NSC chief agreed the violence was partly connected to the next round of peace talks scheduled for June13 in Malaysia.
There are many groups of militants operating in the three border provinces and some of them do not want the talks to continue because they fear the groups causing the unrest will be exposed, he said.
Lt-Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut, NSC secretary-general
What is happening shows that many groups of insurgents still prefer violent means. This matter will be raised for discussion on June 13, Lt-Gen Paradorn said.
He said that during informal discussions the BRN admitted it was still unable to convince some of its factions to reduce the level of violence.
Some new factions in the BRN still adhered to a radical line and believed only violence would lead to victory over the Thai government, Lt-Gen Paradorn said.
When it was pointed out that a there had recently been violence in Pattani's Mae Lan district, where the emergency decree has already been replaced by the less severe Internal Security Act (ISA), the NSC chief said he had been convinced by the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command that the situation in the district was still under control and it was not necessary to reintroduce the emergency law there.
He said the NSC was still firmly set on replacing the emergency decree with the ISA in more areas.
This matter was expected to be raised for discussion during the first week of June, as the current extension of the emergency decree in troubled areas will expire on June 19.
"Originally we had a plan to lift the emergency decree in every province. However, since the situation has turned more violent, we will have to reassess the plan," Lt-Gen Paradorn said.